It’s easy to set up a festive bar when you have a rolling cart on hand. It’s one of the most used party pieces in my collection. I can simply roll it out, gather all of my pieces, and put together a beautiful spread in minutes.
You also can customize the presentation for any occasion...this New Year’s Eve setup was as easy as it gets! I found the metallic gold fringe curtains and coordinating 32” balloons online for less than $30.
We used Champagne, but bubbly water and alcohol-free sparkling apple cider would be a great choice, too! To shake it up a bit further, I added assorted berries, juices, and festive drink stirs for fun flavor combinations.
Here are a few easy apps to accompany the drinks:
Midnight Hand Pies
MAKES: 7 Single Serving Pies
INGREDIENTS:
1 package refrigerated pie crust (2 pie crusts)
7.5 oz garlic & herb cream cheese spread
1 egg
DIRECTIONS:
– Preheat oven to 375F.
– Beat the egg and set aside with a pastry brush.
– Using a 3 1/4-inch circular cookie cutter, cut 14 pie crust circles.
– Place 7 pie crust pieces on a baking sheet. Add a heaping spoonful of garlic & herb cream cheese to the center of each round leaving a 1/4” edge.
– Brush a thin layer of beaten egg around edges and cover with the remaining 7 pie crust rounds. Pinch together the pie crusts with a fork to seal.
– If desired, decorate the tops of your hand pies with mini cookie letters for the “XII”. I used a “T” cookie cutter to make the basic shape of the clock hand before finishing it with my fingers.
(Note: Brush the surface of each hand pie with egg before placing your decorative pie crust elements on top to secure them.)
– Using a sharp knife, cut a few small slits in the top of each pie to allow heat to escape.
– Bake for 25-30 minutes or until golden brown.
Bacon-Wrapped Asparagus
MAKES: 24
INGREDIENTS:
24 stalks asparagus
12 slices bacon, halved lengthwise
DIRECTIONS:
– Preheat the oven to 400F.
– Line a baking sheet with parchment paper.
– Wash and trim the woody ends of the asparagus.
– Wrap a bacon strip tightly around a piece of asparagus and place the bacon end side down on the parchment paper to hold into place.
– Repeat with all pieces, spacing on the baking sheet so they don’t touch to avoid sticking together.
– Bake for 20-25 minutes or until crisp!
Caprese Salad Skewers
MAKES: 16 Skewers
INGREDIENTS:
6 oz. cherry tomatoes
16 oz fresh mozzarella cheese, sliced
1/2 cup fresh basil leaves
Balsamic glaze
Salt & pepper
DIRECTIONS:
– Wash and dry the tomatoes and basil.
– Cut the mozzarella cheese slices in half, (or you can use bocconcini mozzarella balls, cut in half)
– Skewer ingredients starting with a basil leaf, mozzarella cheese, and tomato.
– Repeat for remaining skewers, sprinkle with salt and pepper.
– Drizzle with balsamic glaze before serving.
Harmony Lynn Goodson
Harmony Lynn Goodson is an editorial stylist, content creator, and contributor for lifestyle and entertaining publications. She is a photographer for local restaurants and magazines via her business, Harmony Lynn Photography. Harmony also aims to inspire people who entertain to create lavish parties with her DIY tips and tricks which she enjoys sharing on her personal blog and social media accounts.
